4. Decide when your hours will be. Now I know that having a home business means that you have flexible hours but I’m talking about a quitting time. Decide what it will be and stick with it. You will be happier, your family will be happier and you won’t have to hear “Are you still on computer?” Most professional people will understand if you don’t reply to them at 8:00 at night. Oh, and don’t check your e-mail before you go to bed!! It’s never as simple as that.

5. Believe in yourself. How long have you wanted to work at home? How long have you dreamed of owning your own business? You trust yourself, right? Apply yourself, learn, listen to your heart. Put forth effort and commitment it takes to succeed. Avoid “what if”’s, regrets and disappointments that come with passing up on your dreams and goals. Go for it!!

Now I had to start all over, after months of working and struggling to build that web site just way I wanted it.

I had heard so many good things about Front Page 2000, but couldn't see investing $150 for software, when I had already paid $99 for software I was using. This time I knew I was on my own. No way could I afford another three hour phone call ! I thought about it for a few days.

I read about netscape in an ezine. I thought, 'jane, how could you be so dumb?' ! You can use netscape to build your website ! That was a joke! I have to compare Netscape to directions for putting together an item you just purchased. How many times have I bought something that I had to put together ! The directions are so 'easy', aren't they? You will be lucky if they printed out full directions. There are always 'fading' letters, I call them, which leaves you trying to figure out what those letters are so that you can put item together.

Let's not even discuss wizards ! As far as a newbie is concerned, they might as well not be there! I didn't talk their language and they didn't talk mine!

That didn't work. either ! What to do............... ........... Well, I decided to go ahead and purchase Front Page 2000. Months before, I had purchased Terry Dean's Busn. 2000 package, which contained a video on how to use Front Page 2000 to build your web pages. I have to say that I have found Front Page 2000 to be easiest piece of software I have used, once I got to know my way around it. Between video and software, I managed to get my website up and running. When I did feedback forms for my site, I would watch video, pause it, work with forms, back to video ........you get picture. Anyway, I DID IT!! It was time for me to upload my pages to my host's server. With Front Page, this was a snap. Just click on publish web and it was off and running. Once I got pages published, I couldn't wait to view my website! I typed my URL into browser and waited. Error page. I got an error page! What happened? I uploaded pages. Where were they? I immediately emailed my sponsor. I told him that I had uploaded my pages, but they weren't there! He emailed me back, all calm and cool, and told me to go into my control panel and upload index.htm. I did this, although I was highly skeptical. I just knew that I was going to have to begin all over again! But, guess what, It worked!! I finally had my website up! All I could do was look at it and cry!! I actually DID IT!!! (with a little help from my friends).

I wrote this story about how I got my website up to encourage all of you out there that are struggling with whatever:

1) NEVER give up!! 2) Read ezines--they help!! 3) Ask for help. There are people out there that are willing to help you. 4) YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

I still have a lot to learn about world wide web, but I am willing to learn and it will come in time, when I'm ready to receive it. One thing I am learning is patience. Patience has never been one of my strengths, but it's becoming one dealing with web. I am meeting a lot of great people and doing something that I love to do along way. The lasting friendships, doing something I enjoy and yes, even failures and triumphs of learning are all worth 'Blood, Sweat and Tears'